Ewan, Enthusiastic Student
by DarkLeviathan89
Summary: Ewan leaves his home in Caer Pelyn to see the continent of Magvel as he had not seen it before. Along the way, he'll see old friends and make new ones, but also get himself into situations he never wanted to be involved in... Chapter 5 Embracing the Light
1. Farewells from Caer Pelyn

Author's Note- Hey everyone, this is my first attempt at making a decent Fire Emblem story. It's about Ewan on a journey after the events of Sacred Stones, meaning that if you have not finished the game, you might not want to read this if you don't want some parts of the game to be spoiled. Please bare with me here, even if this chapter isn't that well written or interesting, I'll try to make sure the later chapters will keep your attention. Also, please review. I don't mind getting constructive criticism, but no flames, please.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fire Emblem, nor any related characters, events, etc., except for the few original characters that may, and eventually will appear over the course of the story. I am not making any sort of gain or profit by writing this, it's just something I felt I could try to do in my spare time.

All that aside, I hope you enjoy the story.

**Ewan, Enthusiastic Student**

**Chapter 1- Farewells from Caer Pelyn**

The sun was setting brilliantly over the village of Caer Pelyn. It gave the sky an awesome orange glow for as far as the eyes can see as it started to lower itself beyond the surrounding mountains. The air was warm and comforting, as expected, for it was a summer night, one out of many more to come in a long, hot season. Many of the villagers stood outside their homes enjoying such wonderful scenery, enjoying the calm atmosphere that nature had to offer.

Among these villagers were Ewan and Saleh, who were, respectively, student and teacher. Ewan was lying down on the springy grass around his master's hut, and stared upward into the heavens. Saleh, leaning against a nearby tree, closed his grey eyes, seemingly in concentration.

"Teacher?" the inquisitive redhead called, "Teacher? What are you thinking about?"

"Life, Ewan," the lavender-haired sage responded. "More specifically, _your_ life." At hearing this, Ewan sat up, curious of his teacher's thoughts.

"Really?" Ewan asked, "Why would you think about that?"

Saleh, eyes still closed, responded after taking a deep breath. "Because you've changed so much since I first took you in."

Ewan's red eyes almost sparkled in interest and fascination, but the red-robed mage decided to continue listening to his mentor before interrupting.

"I admit that when I went to visit Gerik those years ago, I had no intention of gaining a pupil. As I've told you before, however, I could sense a strong will and talent over the arcane forces. Now look at you, Ewan." The gray-clad sage finally opened his eyes to face his pupil. "You went from a student with eagerness and ambition to the accomplished young sage that I see before me. Someday, you shall surpass my own talents, and perhaps reach what I could never reach."

Ewan, both proud and surprised of his teacher's words, replied, "Teacher! You know I could never surpass you."

"But isn't that why you are leaving tomorrow morning?" Saleh asked. "To gain more knowledge of the arcane, to learn more of the world?"

Ewan nodded. "Yes, that's why I'm going. But I never wanted to become a rival to you, Teacher. I'm going to see the world, which I've wanted to do since before I met you."

"Yes, I understand. It is an admirable intention, indeed, and I too would like to make the same journey, now that the Demon King has been vanquished." The wise sage was now facing the orange sky before him.

"And that's why I'm going," stated Ewan, still facing Saleh, "Now that we don't have to worry about all those monsters, everyone is free to go where they wish."

The solemn Saleh seemed deep in thought, as Ewan couldn't fathom what he was thinking. After a few seconds of silence, the sage spoke again. "Please be careful, Ewan."

Ewan, still sitting on the grass, responded, "Don't worry, Teacher, I will. At least I don't have anything to worry about, remember? No more monsters, demons, or any of those horrible creatures we've seen when we were with Eirika and Eprhaim." He not-so-fondly remembered the hordes of wretched revenants, mogalls, wights, and other creatures that they had to fight past in order to reach the Demon King's lair in Darkling Woods.

Saleh, though he admired Ewan's endless enthusiasm, shook his head. "You still have a lot to learn, Ewan…" When he said this, the sun was almost hidden from view by the mountains in the distance, and soon, darkness would fill the skies. "It is time for me to sleep, and I suggest you do the same. Your journey starts tomorrow."

Ewan nodded in agreement, got up, and followed Saleh into his home. It was a hut of humble furnishings; two beds, one in each of the far corners, and a large wooden bookcase, which stood filled with books along the wall in between the two beds. Saleh went to the right, and prepared himself for sleep, while Ewan walked over to his teacher's books. He eyed the sage's collection of books, surely filled with knowledge beyond his years, containing information of Magvel in its early days, or other topics that he had no knowledge of whatsoever.

He took one random book out of the sage's collection; it was a volume with a faded green cover, its pages starting to turn yellow from age. On the cover read "Interpretations of the Scars of the Early Years of Magvel" in faded black ink. Flipping through the pages, Ewan came across what seemed like endless walls of tiny text upon each fading page. His face fell at the thought of his teacher's true knowledge, and how he could ever hope to come close to being an equal to the wise Saleh.

"You honestly think I can one day become as wise as you, Teacher?" Ewan asked suddenly, looking up from his readings.

Already laying in bed, Saleh replied, "Yes, I do, Ewan. But, as I have already said, you have a lot to learn. And I cannot teach you most of which you do not know."

"But how would I learn more if you cannot teach it to me?"

"Oh, I still have more to teach you upon your return. But more importantly, you will learn more as you go through life, much more than I can teach you, I believe. Do not fret, though, I am confident that whatever challenges you may face in your lifetime, you shall conquer them. Just as a small band of people conquered the Demon King and his minions." Saleh was referring to the epic battle against Fomortiis, which Ewan seemed to remember all-too-well.

The young mage felt reassured at his mentor's words. He went to his bed and started to try to fall asleep, his wise teacher already peacefully slumbering, but not before thinking of what his journey may really have in store for him.

That night, Ewan did not have the longest sleep that he could have had. While laying on his back with his eyes staring aimlessly above him, Ewan could only imagine what his trip would bring him. He tried not to show it in front of his teacher, but he was excited more about this trip than when he first joined Eirika's quest some time ago. In the past, he had gone on a trip around Magvel with Saleh, but now Ewan was on his own, to go to places where his teacher may not have let him go in the past. Not that Ewan minded having someone like Saleh watch over him like a guardian, but the sage seemed to surpress the curiosity that stirred in his mind like bees in a beehive.

* * *

The next morning, the sun blazed above Caer Pelyn, heating the mountain air immensely. Inside Saleh's hut, Ewan was packing his things for his journey. He had placed two satchels of medicine, vulneraries, in his robes, and strapped a red Fire tome under the blue sash around his waist. After preparing his belongings, the young mage stepped out to look for his teacher, who had already left the house, well aware that when he found his teacher, it may be the last time he saw him for a good while. 

It didn't take long for Ewan to find Saleh; the sage came out of one of the houses right after Ewan walked outside. He was holding in his right hand what looked like a small sack. Saleh, his face as serious as ever, approached Ewan.

"I was checking on Dara," Saleh explained, "Her illness, while not progressing, is not getting any better." Ewan almost felt guilty at hearing this, knowing he'd be leaving at a time when the village elder may have needed his company.

"Teacher, do you think I should stay here?" Ewan asked. "At least until Dara gets better?"

Saleh shook his head. "There is no need, Ewan. We are all watching Dara, and all praying for her full recovery. And she wanted me to give you this." He tossed the satchel to Ewan, who caught it easily. The contents of the sack jingled as it landed in his hands.

"Money? But, I couldn't…" Ewan started to say, but Saleh interrupted him.

"For your journey, Ewan. I believe Dara is more concerned about you than she is about herself." The sage walked up to Ewan and put his hand on his student's shoulder. "On behalf of all of us of Caer Pelyn, I wish you good fortunes on your trip, my beloved pupil."

"Thank you," Ewan said, as he held back tears, trying to look strong in front of the man who took care of him for the past few years. His eyes were wet from the restrained tears, so he turned around and started walking opposite of Saleh to start his journey. Before he could get himself to leave, he turned back and shouted to his teacher.

"I'll be back!" he exclaimed happily, "I'll be back for you and Dara! And all of Caer Pelyn!"

Ewan's red robes and blue cape were almost gone from the sage's view, as he remained fixed on the spot where he last talked with his precious pupil. "And we shall await your return, Ewan. You may be from the deserts of Jehanna, but you will always have a home here."


	2. The Azure Blade

Author's Note- This chapter was originally called "The Cobalt Blade, " but I realized that this could be mistaken for something else, so I replaced it with "The Azure Blade." If this too is something that is from another game, show, etc., please let me know.

Thanks to I-Am-Erk for notifying me.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fire Emblem, nor any related characters, events, etc., except for the few original characters that may, and eventually will appear over the course of the story.

**Ewan, Enthusiastic Student**

**Chapter 2- The Azure Blade**

Ewan had left Caer Pelyn in the morning of a bright day early in the summer. He started his journey westward planning to explore the area of the Teraz Plateau, for he had not been there often since joining Eirika's group. From there, the young mage planned on Port Kiris, and then to Ide, where his good friend Ross was residing. What this had to do with gaining knowledge was beyond Ewan himself, but he felt the need to visit one of the friends he made during the War of the Demon King.

"Hehe," Ewan chuckled to himself as he traced his route along the dry soil, using a stick to pinpoint each of his planned stops. "I'm sure Ross would enjoy my company again," he told himself, reminded of the time Ewan stumped the young warrior with philosophical questions.

Looking up at the sky, he could see some gray clouds starting to block the sun. A chill wind blew through the mountainous area, and Ewan shivered. The mage sat down against a large, grey boulder and looked around him. The path he saw looked somewhat bleak, with one large dusty, rocky road. Said path was sandwiched between two rows of mountains, whose crags extended to the sky like towers, with sharp points jutting upwards to the heavens. Along the dirt path were little patches of grass, bright green but sharp like the peaks that towered over it. Seeing this dreary, lonely sight, Ewan sighed.

"I swear, it seemed so much more interesting to travel with Teacher," he told himself. But Ewan knew that complaining about dull scenery was not going to help him on his journey one bit, so he got up and continued to walk towards Port Kiris. Looking more like a disappointed tourist than a studious mage, Ewan seemed to stroll along the dirty path, calmly whistling to himself to pass the time.

After what seemed like an hour or two later, Ewan was still walking towards Port Kiris. He would lean against a mountain every once in a while to rest himself, all while thinking about people he had met during the war. First was Ross, and now on his mind was Amelia, the amiable young soldier from Grado. He fondly recalled how much awe she had in her eyes when he performed some magic tricks for her. To him, it was nothing but sparks and embers; child's play for a mage of his prowess. But to Amelia, such a simple wonder brought out a dazzling smile of awe and surprise. The two had spent some time talking about their homelands and other trivial topics, but Ewan had to admit to himself that she was one of the best friends he had made on that journey.

"Enough reminiscing," he ordered himself, "You're almost to the port anyway. Once you get there, _then_ you could recollect, 'cause you know you won't be in some barren land like this." Somehow, the wonder of seeing these natural landscapes did not spark Ewan's interest as much as it had done when he was younger.

Not until half an hour later did things take an interesting turn. After starting to follow the stony path northwest, Ewan saw a figure sitting back against a mountainous wall. Coming closer, Ewan could see that it was a man, probably in his thirties, wearing a navy blue shirt with its sleeves torn off, and pants of the same color. He wore brown leather boots, and had short, jet-black hair. The man was clutching his stomach with his right hand, as his left arm hung limp to his side.

Expecting the man to be wounded, Ewan rushed to the figure, and fumbling with his robes to retrieve the vulneraries he had. The selfless mage knelt by the man and examined him; his left arm had a few cuts, only one of which was bleeding, and his shirt seemed to be cut in a few places as well. The man half-opened his eyes, as if he had just woken up, and asked in a barely audible voice, "Red? Is that you?" Ewan, however, didn't reply, and gave the vulnerary to the stranger, who took it without question. The man closed his eyes, and seemed to lose consciousness after that, as he wouldn't respond to Ewan gently shaking him. Ewan knew he was still breathing, however, so he sat down against the opposite rocky mountain wall, waiting for the man to recover. Soon, the young mage's eyes began to droop, and he too fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

"Hey, kid." 

Ewan woke to a start when he was called. Opening his eyes, he saw the blue-clad man standing in front of him, smiling.

"Thanks again for helping a stranger, kid," he said. Still drowsy from being woken up, Ewan looked around him. They were still at the mountains by the Teraz Plateau, and it seemed like the afternoon. A cool breeze refreshed the magic student as he got up and dusted himself off.

"Your welcome," the mage replied, holding back a yawn, "But who are you?"

"Name's Balor," the man told Ewan proudly, "A mercenary." He extended his long left arm to Ewan, surprised how big the man standing in front of him was. Much taller than his teacher, Saleh, he seemed to be the tallest person that Ewan's eyes have ever seen. He had to look up to look face-to-face with the muscular mercenary, but Ewan tried not to make an awkward situation out of it.

"You're a mercenary? That's neat!" Ewan said in excitement; he was reminded greatly of his comrade Gerik, from before the War of the Demon King. He shook Balor's hand with his right hand; the swordsman's hand nearly crushed Ewan's own hand, but the mage managed to hold back a yelp of pain.

"You think I'm neat, huh, kid?" Balor asked. He chuckled as if he had heard those compliments before, and continued, "You're not the only one. People even gave me a nickname because they really think I'm "neat."

"What is it?" Ewan asked, for his curiosity awakened once again.

"The Azure Blade."

There was silence. Ewan seemed to be thinking hard of Balor's title, and he started to burst out in laughter. Looking more amused than insulted, Balor looked questioningly at the laughing Ewan.

"I'm sorry," Ewan apologized, trying to talk and hold in his laughter, "it's just that so many mercenaries have color-based nicknames. It's like a tradition or something." He then took a deep breath, enabling him to talk calmly without laughing. "At least Gerik is the Desert Tiger…"

The mentioning of Gerik's name seemed to spark something in Balor's mind, as he quickly asked, "You know Gerik?"

"Yup, me and my sis traveled with him for some time," Ewan explained.

"Interesting."

Balor didn't seem to want to touch the subject of Gerik anymore, so he changed it immediately.

"Mind if I call you Red?"

Ewan seemed to think about this sudden question. Eventually, he told him, "But my name is Ewan."

"Well, you really remind me of my son, Flynn," Balor said, now in a serious tone instead of a light-hearted one. "He likes magic and has red hair, and, needless to say, has a striking resemblance to you."

Now the young man found himself in an awkward situation, and he tried to choose his responses carefully.

"Of course you can call me Red!" Ewan said, flushing a bit. "Is that his nickname?"

"Yes, it is," Balor started to say, "And as you can see, my whole life seems to revolve around people with color-themed nicknames." And the two laughed heartily together. It was a sight to see, with the minute mage and the towering mercenary sharing the same laughs after meeting each other only minutes ago.

After the merriment ended, Balor walked to the place he woke up from and retrieved his sword. Ewan saw its blade gleam in the sunlight, and from end-to-end, the whole sword seemed to be as tall as Ewan himself. Balor went back to Ewan and asked, "Are you going somewhere, Red?"

Ewan nodded. "To Port Kiris. Don't know where I'll go from there."

Balor rubbed his chin as if in thought, then smiled. "I'm going there as well. My new employer is meeting me there."

Ewan's bright face beamed, "That's great! We can travel together!"

Balor put his hand on Ewan's shoulder, like a father would to his son, and said, "I'd like that. I really would."

The odd couple then started to walk along Ewan's intended path; northwest between the mountains until they reached the port. Even though both stayed silent, they both held a sunny disposition; it was a beautiful day with a shining sun, a cool breeze, and they were in good company.

The two strolled quietly along the mountainous path until finally, ever closer to their destination, Ewan decided to break the silence.

"What happened to you before I came and helped you?"

Balor stopped in his tracks, hesitating before giving Ewan an honest answer. "I was clearing away some bandits hiding nearby. They often terrorized people who came close to their turf. It was an easy job." The mercenary then started to frown. "At least, it was until my sickness kicked in."

"Sickness?"

"Yeah, occasionally I would get these horrible cramps in my stomach. Almost feels like my insides are being punched and kicked around. And if I'm really unlucky, my whole body feels the same pain." Balor sighed in relief before continuing. "At least I wasn't unlucky today, else that wouldn't be a pretty sight, wouldn't it?"

Ewan didn't see how someone could be joking around after describing a situation like that, but Balor continued nonetheless. "I took out a few of them, but I had to retreat. It wasn't easy, but the other mercenaries hired to clear out the bandits saved my behind. Not for my sake, of course, but for their pay."

Immediately, Gerik came to Ewan's mind, not because the Desert Tiger would act in the same insensitive way, but because he was willing to protect those he worked with during the War of the Demon King.

"I fled towards the Teraz Plateau, and that's when I took a rest to recover, and when you came and saved me."

Ewan truly felt sorry for his new friend, and tried to think of a way to help him. "Is there anything you can do about the disease?"

Balor nodded and smiled. "There is, thankfully. Someone in Port Kiris claims to know of a merchant who has a medicine that can cure the disease. Same person claimed its 10,000 gold."

"But how could you afford that?" Ewan asked, almost shouting at Balor. He remembered the small satchel of gold he received before he left, and knew it was nowhere near the amount needed. "What's going to happen to you if you don't take the medicine?"

"Ah, don't worry about me, Red," Balor started to say, "I've lived without it for 35 years, and I intend to continue to live without it. It's a family disease, you know."

"Wait…" A thought popped in Ewan's mind, one that worried both the mage and the mercenary. "If it's a family disease, then that means…"

"Yes. Flynn suffers from the same disease."


	3. Unconditional Trust

Author's Note- This school year is going to be a killer one me, but I'll try to get a chapter in every now and then. Also, thank you for all the reviews, and I do have some plans to clear up some of the inconsistencies that you've pointed out (Ewan not having staves or light magic, being too trusting of strangers, etc). But some of those will probably come in later chapters.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fire Emblem, nor any related characters, events, etc., except for the few original characters that may, and eventually will appear over the course of the story.

**Ewan, Enthusiastic Student**

**Chapter 3- Unconditional Trust**

Ewan felt awkward to hear his newest comrade talk of his son's illness. Being used to seeing the world optimistically, he couldn't think of a way to bring happiness from this situation. The young mage remained silent, waiting for his ally to speak again.

"Let's not worry about it, alright, Red?" Balor spoke as he broke the silence. The mercenary quickly changed the subject, saying, "It shouldn't be too long until we get to Port Kiris. Once we get there, I'm going to find my employer."

"But, this won't be the last we see each other, will it?" Ewan asked, and Balor smiled.

"Of course not, Red," he reassured him, "Life is funny like that. We'll probably see end up seeing each other in the oddest of circumstances."

Ewan beamed, remembering that he, his teacher, and his sister were all involved in the purging of the fiends from Magvel, and he had thought for the longest time that their involvement was more than a mere coincidence.

The duo marched onward toward their destination. Ewan could already smell the shore, a sign that their trip together was almost over. The mage had lost track of time, but he knew quite well that he would have to eat once he reached the city.

"Gah, I'm hungry," Ewan blurted out spontaneously, "I could go for some food right now."

"You'll have to wait 'til we get to the city," Balor explained. "I'm hungry myself, but I think we can reach the port before hunger drives us insane." Ewan chuckled once Balor said this; the swordsman's way of talking casually and adding humor into his sentences every chance he got was certainly different from Saleh, always solemn and serious in tone.

It was less than half a day since the young magician had left on his journey, and already Ewan had a good feeling in his mind. The bright sky seemed too welcoming to allow any negative thoughts in the lad's mind, and he openly enjoyed the company of Balor, his newfound friend. Somewhere in Ewan's mind, there was another thought, one that told him of more of the wonderful things that could happen on his journey. That thought reminded him of Ross, Amelia, and the countless other companions he had during the War of the Demon King, and if he could see each of them once again, he would certainly have been one happy boy. All these hopes were enough to make Ewan quickly forget that his journey was originally intended for learning and becoming a great sage like Saleh, but back in Caer Pelyn, Ewan's teacher knew that whether the boy would open a single book or not on his journey, he would certainly have learned something by the time he came back.

* * *

Port Kiris was a busy trade city on the northwestern part of Magvel. Being a port town, it was commonplace to see merchants from distant land showcasing their goods, whether they sold clothes, jewelry, spices, or other trinkets that could only be found in certain places. One would also find many types of people there, as people of all sorts would stay in that one place to live, to work, to make quick gold, and in Ewan's case, to explore. 

Ewan and Balor both reached Port Kiris during the afternoon, when the sun was still up, but the air was not as hot anymore. On the contrary, being by the ocean brought nice breezes, though both smelled the scent of salt water in the air. Of course, this was typical for a harbor, but nonetheless the two took some time getting used to the smell.

The mage looked around him; to his right, he saw several wooden ships anchored by the harbor and men transferring goods from ship to city, to his left, several white houses stood close to one another, apparently the homes of several families, and straight ahead, a large open square with benches along two sides which people would sit on for a break. Balor had already started to walk away while Ewan gawked curiously at his surroundings.

Balor looked back at his young friend and said, "This is it, Red."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah," Balor replied, almost regretfully, "But I'm sure we'll see each other again." He started walking toward the buildings beyond the square, but turned back one last time.

"Be careful, Red."

"Huh?" Again, Balor's sudden change in tone took Ewan by surprise. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"Well," the blue-clad mercenary started to explain, "I don't want to anything to happen to you. There's always someone out there willing to bring misery to others."

Ewan remained silent, contemplating on Balor's words of wisdom.

"Until next time, Red." And the Azure Blade walked away, leaving his new comrade lost in thought, eventually merging with the groups of people standing in the city square, and disappearing from Ewan's sight completely.

Instead of following the swordsman, Ewan decided to find something to settle his upset stomach. He saw to his right the port, and walked toward it, hoping to find someone who sold fish that he could eat for a late lunch. He approached one man standing by a small, wooden vessel tied to the dock. He was a short, stumpy man wearing a ragged white shirt and old brown pants, and his beard seemed to curl as much as the hair on his head. He had a net full of fish, some still alive and flailing to escape their captor, and that certainly would explain why the middle-aged man smelled like brine and rotting fish.

"Whad'ya want?" The man seemed to scowl and his voice seethed with disconent. Ewan was intimidated by his negative disposition, but asked the man for fish anyway.

"I'd like to buy a fish, please."

"You an' everyone else," the sour man responded. "Are you going to tell me which one or what?"

"Er, I'd like a dead one, please." Ewan tried his best not to be intimidated, but his voice was high as he said the last word. The fisherman started to grumble to himself as he tossed a fish from the net to Ewan.

"Fifty gold." The fisherman wasted no time to get the transaction done, and Ewan paid him the money needed.

"Um, thank you," Ewan stammered, but the man only grumbled to himself and dragged his net elsewhere, hoping for another customer to come.

He looked at the fish he had bought: it was the about the length of one of Saleh's textbooks, and had silver scales. It was uncooked, so Ewan would have to work his magic to cook the fish the right amount. The mage brandished his Fire tome and opened it, holding it with one hand, and the fish in his other.

"Fire!" he yelled, and a small orb of fire appeared above his right hand, heating the fish until…

"Oh, darn it!" The fire disappeared and in his hand was a black fish, burned to the point that it could crumble into several charred pieces if dropped on the floor.

"Well, I guess this will do…" Ewan reluctantly started to eat the over-charred fish, forcing it to go down his throat as he ate each piece slowly with displeasure. After eating most of his fish, the young apprentice walked off to the town square. He strode calmly, taking his time and looking all around him to see the kinds of people that lived and worked in this city. Eventually, a tall man accosted Ewan out of nowhere. He wore a ragged brown vest over a dirty white shirt, was barefoot, and had shaggy, dirty blonde hair.

"Care to help a poor man out?" he asked as he walked up to Ewan. He immediately felt sorry for him, a poor, homeless man having to live off of so little to survive.

"Of course, but," Ewan took some time to think before continuing, "what could I do?"

"My mother," the man started, "is very ill. Please, I need you to see her."

Ewan, surprised by his request, replied, "But what can I do? I'm not a doctor, and I don't have any healing staves with me, and…"

"All I ask is that you see her, at least tell me if she can make it." All of a sudden, the beggar grabbed Ewan by his shirt. "Please!"

The red-cloaked mage was now locked in a battle with his conscience.

_"This man is desperate for someone to help his mother, and I have to help him if no one else will."_

_"You don't have anything to do with him! He has nothing to do with your hopes of becoming as great as your teacher, Saleh."_

_"He needs my help before it's too late."_

_"You're just going to get yourself into trouble."_

_"I need to help him."_

_"You need to walk away."_

The benevolent side of Ewan won, and he replied after a moment of silence, "Alright, I'll go."

The beggar embraced Ewan, much to the mage's displeasure, and started walking to the west, toward a forested area outside of town. He signaled for Ewan to follow him, and the young man walked along with him, though he kept a fair distance away. It took about fifteen minutes to reach their destination: a small, wooden cabin in the wooded area outside of Port Kiris.

"Please, come in." Ewan carefully entered the cabin and saw little inside. A wooden chair and small table was in one corner of the room, and across from the doorway was a single bed. In the bed, was a large lump covered by the bed sheets, which Ewan assumed was the man's mother.

"There she is," the beggar said, sounding tired and gloomy. He walked toward the doorway as Ewan approached the bed, hands shaking and palms sweating.

"I hope she's alright…" Ewan started to say as he pulled the sheet off of the bed.

There was no sick lady under the sheets, but only a couple of small pillows.

"What the heck?" Ewan turned to the beggar, who smiled grimly and held out two gleaming daggers, one in each hand.

"You were a fool to ever come here, you know that?" he taunted Ewan, whose heart froze when he started to advance. Ewan started to slowly back away, fumbling to get his Fire tome from inside his robes.

"Now, now, as long as you give me all your gold, I won't have to hurt you." The man's eyes gleamed with wicked pleasure, and a sadistic grin spread across his face. As Ewan was already backed into one of the far corners of the room, he felt powerless, and his face became pale as his mind raced.

_"You idiot, now look what you've done!"_

_"He's going to take everything you have!"_

_"He's going to kill you!"_

_"Why did you have to trust him so easily, you fool?"_

Ewan finally spoke up, hesitating with each word. "I d-don't have much g-gold with me." He took out his satchel of gold and tossed it to the thief. The bandit took it and examined the contents inside.

"Looks like I won't have to kill you then," he started to say, "which is a shame, because I took out these for nothing." He hid his daggers inside his vest, and walked toward Ewan, still smiling demonically. "I can always beat you around so that you'll stay silent. That's going to be good enough for me." Now the man stood two paces away from Ewan, who was frozen in fear of the situation he got himself in. He was alone against an armed man who would be quick enough to silence him if he did so much as brandish his spell book.

All the bandit had to do was to throw one hard punch at Ewan's gut. He hit the mage directly, and the young mage was thrown back against the cabin corner.

_"I'm sorry, Teacher. I've been such a fool…"_

And after another hit, everything around him went black.


	4. A Friend In Need

Author's Note- Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? School has decided to be brutal this year, but hopefully this chapter is as good or better than the previous ones. Once again, reviews and constructive criticism are apreicated.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fire Emblem, nor any related characters, events, etc., except for the few original characters that may, and eventually will appear over the course of the story.

**Ewan, Enthusiastic Student**

**Chapter 4- A Friend In Need**

"He's breathing. His recovery is a steady one. He should be fine in a few moments."

"Well, _of course_ he's recovering. It doesn't take a genius like me to figure that out."

Ewan was still dazed from his encounter with the thief. He could hear these voices right by him, but couldn't tell whose they were. Though his eyes were still closed, he had deduced that one voice was that of a young man, the other voice a young woman's. His frail body was bruised all over, but Ewan was glad just to be alive. He truly felt that his life was over, that everything would end with one quick slash from the thief's gleaming dagger.

"I truly am grateful we found him before it was too late."

"Well, it was thanks to me that we did find him. Without me, he would be here without anyone to help him."

Ewan had no clue if he was back in Port Kiris, or somewhere else altogether. He could only tell that he was lying on soft grass, and that there was a cool breeze in the air. Crickets could be heard chirping nearby, so Ewan assumed it was almost if not already nighttime. The student tried to figure out the identity of the two speakers, but he felt too tired, too weary too try. Instead, he kept his eyes closed.

"We should not argue over who saved him. Instead, we should hope and pray for his well being."

"You're right. Then again, so was I. Really, I did find him lying unconscious in those trees."

Then the mage opened his eyes. Of the two people that stood before him, one was a tall young man with long robes of white and light blue, with a mess of curly brown hair like brambles of a forest. The other was short compared to the young man, and she wore robes of dark blue and purple, contrasting to her partner's light-colored garments. The two turned to him when he opened his eyes and sat up.

"Ah. Ewan, you're finally awake," the young man said in relief.

"Artur? Lute?" Ewan looked from one to the other in surprise. "What are you two doing here?"

"We found you lying unconscious nearby," Artur explained, in a gentle voice that suited a man of the cloth, "You were bruised all around, and Lute and I helped to heal your wounds."

"Yes," Lute started to say, speaking with a tone of confidence, "You know, if it weren't for us, you would still be there, injuries untended."

"Lute, please…" Artur tried to stop her, "He already knows what could have happened to him." The acolyte turned to Ewan, a reassuring smile on his face. "Ewan, we truly are grateful you are alright. But, if you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

Lute nodded at Artur's request, also curious of the turn of events that led to their not-so-lighthearted reunion. Ewan, still weary and shaken from the thief's attack, continued to sit up on the grass and he told his story to the two friends. He told of his departure from Caer Pelyn, of his meeting with Balor, of his arrival at Port Kiris, and of his encounter with the thief, who tricked him and threatened him with his life.

Artur sadly shook his head to himself, as if in disbelief. "Horrible…"

"As terrible as that situation is," Lute began, "we should remember that there are many people out there who are sadistic to anything that moves." Her eyes became stern, almost cold, as they gazed at Ewan's own innocent eyes. "And it is never too wise to trust strangers, Ewan. I thought you were smart enough to realize that."

"What about Eirika?" Ewan asked his fellow mage. Eirika, the leader of the group who vanquished the Demon King, had gained many allies throughout her journey, many of whom were strangers to her and her brigade. "She allowed us to travel and fight with her, didn't she? And we were only strangers to her at the time."

"Eirika also had companions of her own when she allowed us to join her entourage," Lute told Ewan matter-of-factly. "If we chose to go against her at any time, then her comrades would have simply subdued us. You, on the other hand, are traveling alone without proper precautions." The purple-clad mage pointed to Ewan's belongings piled on the ground nearby. "You did not bother to bring any light magic, nor did you choose to bring a healing staff for your wounds."

Ewan pondered to himself for a moment about Lute scolding him. Her words seemed icy to the core, but he knew that she had good intentions for reprimanding him. _"Almost like Sis…"_ he thought, _"except she's my age or even younger, though she really does sound a lot older than she is."_ He looked at Lute again and saw her still sternly looking at him, and he caught sight of Artur praying to himself under a nearby tree.

"Teacher Saleh hasn't taught me the use of light magic," Ewan explained, "At least, he hadn't taught me yet. And I thought that those vulneraries would be enough to heal me, especially since I didn't expect to have to fight anyone on my journey."

Artur, with a calm and devout presence, walked up to Ewan and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Ewan, even with the monsters of Fomortiis purged from this land, we can only pray that humans do not continue to seek violence among themselves." After saying this, the young acolyte handed Ewan a white and gold tome. "You may need this."

"But, this is your Lightning tome, isn't it?" Ewan asked. However, Artur smiled.

"Yes, but I do not wish to fight unless truly necessary. However, you might need this in case any more thieves decide to attack you."

Ewan smiled and nodded, in awe at the extent of Artur's benevolence. He also looked toward Lute, the mage prodigy whose words were as true as the cycles of the moon. These two had saved his life, and he knew now that they were truly his friends.

* * *

Having nowhere in particular to go, and needing some support, both for healing and morale, Ewan joined Lute and Artur on their way to Port Kiris. They had come from the Za'ha Woods, a dense forest which was a good distance south from the seaside city. Ewan, still weary from the thief's ambush, walked at a slower pace than Lute and Artur, almost limping and struggling to keep up with them. He was also in deep thought, as his mindset towards others was undoubtedly changed after the whole incident.

_"Balor,"_ he contemplated, _"Don't tell me you are like that man. I trust you, Balor, I know you're different."_

Lute and Artur both looked back, concerned about their redhead comrade.

"You, Lute, were ruthlessly honest to Ewan earlier." Artur explained.

Lute smiled. "Thank you."

"No," Artur moaned, placing a hand on his forehead. "That was not a compliment."

"Of course it was!" Lute stated, "I try to be an honest person, and if I was "ruthlessly honest", then I have reached my goal."

Artur merely sighed before telling her, "Just don't be so hard on him next time. What if you were in the same situation as he was?"

"I would simply outwit the poor thief. He, nor any other thief, would be able to harm me because-"

"Because you are superior," Artur finished her sentence for her. "Right?"

"Yes," she replied with a dignified tone. "That, and because I have you at my side."

The young monk was caught off guard by this compliment, and smiled at her, his cheeks a little flushed.

Lute continued, "Together we use both anima and light magic, so no magic-using enemy has a full advantage over us!"

Artur was a bit disappointed at Lute's comment, but nonetheless flattered that she considered him a valuable ally. He looked around him; the sky had transitioned from the orange glow of a sunset to the purple darkness of twilight. Stars had began to twinkle in the sky, as if winking and sending good fortune to him and his partners. A cool wind began to blow, but the warmth of friendship kept them going until they reached Port Kiris.

"What is your reason," Ewan started to ask, breaking the silence, "for going to Port Kiris anyway?"

"I am on a pilgrimage," Artur replied. "Lute is with me by my request."

"I will help dispose of any spiders that we happen to come across," Lute clarified, "Of course, I will attack them with love." Ewan smiled uneasily at this sadistic-sounding comment, but Artur ended his uneasiness.

"What she means is that she used to help me get rid of spiders. When she protected me from those humongous baels, she did it out of love for me. That is," Artur added quickly, "out of love for Eirika's whole group as well."

Ewan decided not to ask any more about their journey; he started to think uneasily about Artur's fear of spiders and Lute's idea of love. Nonetheless, seeing two friends after having your life threatened is never a bad thing, so with this Ewan happily continued walking, confident that fortune would smile on him and his allies.

A good half an hour had passed before the group reached familiar sight of Port Kiris. Night had already fallen, and no one seemed to want to walk around in the dark. The rooms of many nearby houses were lit, and it was easy to hear the voices of many talkative women, gloating men, or excited children. Even when the sun was gone, Port Kiris seemed to resonate with excitement and livelihood.

"So, what now?" Ewan inquired. "It's getting late."

"We have to find an inn to spend the night in," Artur explained to the quizzical mage. "But where?"

"There." Lute pointed to a three-story building in the distance. "It looks like a place that can hold a lot of people, so I would not be surprised if it was an inn."

When the three arrived at the building, they realized that it was, just as Lute predicted, an inn. They walked in and saw a relatively empty lobby, save for the manager behind the desk and a lone customer. The customer was surprisingly young; not much older than Ewan. She was about as tall as Artur, but she had flowing pink hair and wore a white cloak over a faded pink shirt and skirt. It was more than this unusual choice of clothing that immediately caught Ewan's eye.

"So that will be fifty gold for one night's stay. Is that okay, Miss Lorian?" the innkeeper asked the young lady.

Lorian smiled and cheerfully replied, "Yes, fifty gold. Thanks, Mr. Anthony!"

"Anytime, lass," the innkeeper told her, as she started to count the money to pay for her night's stay. In the meantime, Artur had been conversing with Ewan about their destination.

"Tomorrow we are boarding a boat for Cataris Island," Artur told Ewan, who still had other things on his mind. "Not many people visit there, but it is an ideal place for people who are on pilgrimages."

"So that means you, right?"

"Exactly. It was said that a very renowned bishop lived there and much of his knowledge is kept there in secret."

"Interesting…"

"Can I help you?" the innkeeper interrupted the conversation. Lute hastily replied for the whole group.

"We would like to rent three rooms for the night."

"Okay then, fifty gold each," demanded the innkeeper. Both Artur and Lute were prepared with their payments, but when Ewan searched his robes for his satchel of money…

_"Oh no! My money was stolen!"_ Again, the red-clad mage started to panic. He did not want to abuse the generosity of his friends, nor did he want to have to sleep in the outdoors.

"Here's his money, Anthony."

Ewan looked to his side and, to his surprise, saw the girl Lorian handing Anthony fifty gold coins. The pupil remained speechless as she turned and smiled at Ewan.

"Well, lad, looks like Lorian here saved you, huh?" Anthony started to laugh heartily as if he had never laughed before. After he stopped laughing, Anthony retrieved three keys from under his table and gave them to his newest customers. "You're all paid for. Your rooms are numbers eight, nine, andten on the third floor. Enjoy your stay!"

Artur and Lute had already taken their keys and headed up the stairs to their respective rooms. Lorian, too, had taken her leave for her room. Ewan, however, was too confused at her sudden but appreciated gift. Now he felt that he had found another potential ally, and possibly something else altogether.

_"She's generous and gorgeous! Wow, what a combination!"_


	5. Embracing the Light

Author's Note- Here's another chapter, but this might be the last chapter for a while. Once winter break is over, it's back to school for me... blech. Anyway, I hope to continue this when I get a chance to, but there's no telling when that will be.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fire Emblem, nor any related characters, events, etc., except for the few original characters that may, and eventually will appear over the course of the story.

**Ewan, Enthusiastic Student**

**Chapter 5- Embracing the Light**

Ewan was sorting out his belongings in the lobby of the inn after getting a free room thanks to the selfless act of Lorian, Ewan's newest dream girl. He found his Fire tome, Artur's Lightning tome, and two vulneraries, but his gold was nowhere to be found. The young apprentice sighed at the loss of his money, and prepared to head for his room.

"Are you feeling alright, Ewan?"

The mage looked up and saw his pious friend, Artur, coming down the stairs to meet him. He glanced at Anthony's desk and saw him absent, meaning he was free to have a private talk with his virtuous pal.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Ewan responded. "Just thinking." One part of Ewan wanted privacy, so he started to walk past Artur to try to stall the conversation until the next day.

"She sure is something, isn't she?" Artur inquired. His words rang in Ewan's brain, and he looked back at Artur with a giddy smile across his face.

"Yeah!" Ewan exclaimed, "She sure is! You like her too, Artur?"

"She sure seems nice enough," Artur explained to the love-struck boy, "You don't find many strangers willing to help one another with no form of compensation. Quite an act is truly admirable."

Ewan started to question his friend's tastes in girls, but nonetheless, he had to agree with him on Lorian's charity. "Yeah, it's nice to see some good people away from home." Sensing that the topic at hand was not one Artur enjoyed to talk about too much, he switched to one of more importance.

"What do you plan to do at Cataris Island?" Ewan asked.

Artur began to scratch his head in thought. "Well, right now I'm thinking of praying for a while. I hear there are several altars, as well as a temple there." The monk started to pace back and forth. "I might meditate there as well. Not many people inhabit the island, so it would be nice for some quiet meditation."

"And what about Lute?"

Artur smiled and said, "She'll find something to do. Nothing will stop her incurable drive for knowledge."

"And I guess she'll just ward those spiders away, huh, Artur?" Ewan teased him.

"W-well, I can handle spiders. It's just those b-b-baels," Artur spoke and shivered at the thought of the oversized monsters, "Those hideous creatures… With their legs, and their venom… ACK!"

Ewan was chuckling at Artur's exaggerated fear of arachnids, but realized he struck one of Artur's sensitive spots.

"I'm sorry, Artur." Ewan placed his hand around his friend's shoulder to comfort him.

"It's alright," Artur said, "I've… I've had much worse experiences with spiders."

* * *

Lute was content with how her day had gone. She was bringing all her belongings with her to her new room. Her possessions included a new Thunder book, a worn out Shine book, a vulnerary, and a small satchel filled with gold. She didn't expect to have to fight on her trip, but it was uncommon for such a brilliant mind such as hers to be ill-prepared. 

_"Ewan should prove to be a valuable asset,"_ she thought to herself, evaluating her newest ally. _"His skill in magic is on par with mine, although mine is clearly stronger, and he could heal as well. That is, if he were to buy a Heal staff…"_

On the second floor, the mage in purple looked around for her room. She held a bronze key in her hand with the number "10" on it.

_"That girl…"_ Lute continued in her mind, _"Lorian is more than she seems. Beneath her cheerful façade, there is another side to her. And of course, I will figure it out, because I am superior to her."_

As if some outside force was toying with her destiny, Lute saw Lorian, smiling and humming to herself, unlocking the door to her room.

"You." Lorian looked to her side and saw Lute, small but serious, looking almost intimidating even though she seemed to most people like only a young girl in purple and blue mage robes.

"Weren't you from downstairs?" Lorian questioned the mage, but she was ignored.

"You're an archer." Lute talked like a detective cornering her main suspect. Lorian was surprised, but she still sounded cheerful.

"Hm? How can you tell?"

"You hide your bow and a quiver of arrows under your cloak. Those possessions confirm that you are indeed an archer," Lute concluded.

Lorian smiled as if she was playing a child's game. "You have good eyes, my friend." She quickly glanced at Lute's robe. "And I suppose you are a mage, with your two magic tomes and all."

Lute was surprised at the accuracy of Lorian's judgment, but she hid her surprise under an unmoving face.

"Why did you help Ewan earlier?" Lute had now gone from child's play to criminal interrogation. "You had nothing to gain from paying for his room."

Lorian's smile seemed to be stuck to her face. "So Ewan's his name? Ah, that's a good name for a good-looking guy like him." Lorian had taken her key from the doorknob and opened the door. A single lighted lamp was the source of light in her hotel room, which was probably the case for all the other rooms. Lute could spot a bed, a window, two chairs and a small round table, and a painting on the wall above the bed.

"Anyway," Lorian continued nonchalantly, "I figured an act of generosity wouldn't do me much harm."

None of this made sense for the inquisitive Lute. No ulterior motive? No advantage or compensation? And if she was as happy-go-lucky as she seemed, why was she carrying weapons? Better yet, why was she _hiding_ her weapons?

"Now if you'll excuse me," Lorian walked inside her room and said, "Good night!" She shut the door before Lute could mutter another questioning word at her.

* * *

Ewan was unable to sleep peacefully on the first night of his journey. His room was comfortable enough; it had a comely appearance and was well-furnished to say the least. But nothing in there was able to calm his apprehensive soul. For what seemed like hours he looked toward his side at the open window. He saw the endless darkness, but saw many twinkling stars smiling back at him. 

"When there is darkness, there shall be light."

Those were the words that the young man muttered before he drifted uneasily into the dream world. He immediately found himself in a familiar sight; he was in the mountains and several small homes were scattered around him. The summer sun blazed overhead, heating the normally cool mountain air immensely. Few trees could be seen in the village, and most of the ground was rocky with only small patches of grass strewn in the area.

"Caer Pelyn?" Ewan was amazed at what happened to him. Surely he could not be back home after only a mere day on his journey?

Taking a few steps forward, Ewan then heard something that bothered him greatly.

"Silence." Around him, no signs of human or animal life could be seen. A dead eerie had replaced the friendly atmosphere of the Caer Pelyn Ewan had known and loved.

"Ewan!" The trainee sage had looked behind him and saw the familiar faces of Artur and Lute running urgently toward him. Just then, the sunlight had died down, and a slow darkness began to take over.

"What's going on here!" Ewan asked frantically.

"This phenomenon is unnatural.," Lute explained, calculating the situation. "An outside force is either tampering with the sun or causing an illusion of dark fog."

Artur shivered as if chilled to the bone. "This darkness… It is evil. I have not sensed a dark like this since the monsters of the Demon King were still around."

Within a minute, the haunting darkness surrounded the three friends and his everything else from sight. The silence was broken, however, by some unseen person in the distance.

"Be gone!" Gasps and yells could be heard far away; the sounds of one person winning a battle, and the other person losing. Ewan recognized the voice immediately.

"Teacher!" Without thinking, Ewan took his Fire tome from his robes and grasped it tightly in his small hands. Immediately, he ran toward the source of the noise, hoping the best for his beloved teacher.

"Ewan! You must be careful!" Fearing the safety of his comrades, Artur brandished his white Physic staff and began to follow Ewan.

"Wait," Lute commanded. She tossed Artur her old, but still effective Shine tome. "We must make sure we are able to fight properly."

Artur nodded and the two of them, tomes in hand, ran off to join Ewan in confronting the evil that threatened all of them.

With a head start, Ewan was the first to find the great sage Saleh locked in a desperate battle with a lone figure.

"Ewan!" The usually impassive sage yelled to his only pupil, "Stay back!"

The red-haired mage froze in his tracks once he saw Saleh's assailer. Tall with dirty blonde hair, the man stood with two shining knives in his hand and a sadistic smile on his face.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance." After his words, the thief sprung toward Ewan, eyes glaring at the boy's petrified face. Ewan stood there frozen, his wide eyes staring into what he thought was his early demise.

"Divine!" The gray-robed sage held his hand out toward the thief and blasted him with a beam of holy light. The light had come from above and the immensity of it blinded everyone, including Artur and Lute, who had just arrived at the battle scene. Ewan used the time bought by Saleh's spell to run far from the thief and cast a spell of his own, and Artur and Lute both brandished their respective tomes as well.

"Thunder!" Lute called out, aiming her spell toward the spot where the beam of light had hit. An enormous bolt of yellow lightning had crashed down on the same spot that the light had fallen on. All was silent as the four allies stared intently at the spot where the spells had struck, hoping they had halted their enemy.

Not a figure stood there.

Before anyone could react, the thief sprinted toward Saleh and jumped, ready to strike him with one single, killing blow. With his heart burning with rage, Ewan had raised his hand above him and shouted, "FIRE!" With that single incantation, a flaming fireball flew and headed for the attacking thief. He screamed out in pain as the fireball burned his skin, and fell to the ground blackened in several places.

"Quick!" Ewan shouted to Artur and Saleh, "Dispel this evil darkness with your light magic!"

Artur and Saleh both took out their tomes and closed their eyes in concentration.

"Light, gather among us and save us…" Artur prayed, summoning the light from his tome.

"Divine powers, purge the land of evil incarnate!" Saleh recited, his Divine tome in hand. With the combined effort of the two magicians, a brilliant white light began to surround everyone. The holy sphere grew and grew until it encompassed the land as far as any of them could see. Ewan and Lute both stood steadfast, their eyes locked on the fallen thief in case he rose again to fulfill his evil mission. The light continued to sparkle and shine around them, and an explosion of white light immediately blinded everyone. The darkness continued to dissipate and the light had brought back the welcome sight of Caer Pelyn. Everyone remained where they stood before the explosion, but the thief had disappeared once again.

"Is he gone?" Ewan questioned his master, hoping the danger was finally over.

"Yes, I do not sense his evil presence anymore," Saleh reassured him. The learned sage looked around him and saw everyone relative unshaken.

"Nor do I," Artur added, "I believe that we have rid ourselves of the dark once and for all."

Lute shrugged as if the whole ordeal were something that barely challenged her. "It was expected that we would emerge victorious. After all, I was with all of you."

Ewan closed his eyes; he was tired and exhausted, unable to keep up with what had just happened. "I… I must…" And the young mage collapsed on the ground without warning.

"Ewan!"

And so Ewan continued to slumber through the warm summer night, though he spoke unconsciously of his own fears and worries.

"I must protect them. I must not fail…"


End file.
